Apparatus and Method For Cable Winding Apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method, suitable for cable wrapping apparatus for securing the cable of a spooled or a coiled product and for packaging such products. Apparatus and method is also suitable for quick switchover from a finished cable product to a new cable product so that the productivity of the cable wrapping apparatus can be increased.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for winding of cables, wires, cords or other materials of extended length, specifically to such apparatus and methods suitable for packing a spooled product into a plastic film (also called foil) in an automatic or semiautomatic process. In the description, “cables, wires, cords, or other materials of extended length” are commonly referred to as “cables”. In the description, “winding” comprises both “spooling” (i.e., winding cables onto spools, reels, drums, or the like cores) and “coiling” (i.e., winding cables without cores) and “cable product” comprises both “spooled product” and “coiled product”.

2. Background Art

Cable is normally manufactured in great lengths during a continuous process. Most are delivered wound onto spools, drums or reels of various sizes. Fully automatic winding apparatus is developed by and described, e.g., in European Patent No 0754160B1 (owner Windak AB).

In such apparatus, empty reels are introduced to a winding position. After the full length has been reached and the reel has come to full stop, a hydraulic cutter cuts the cable and the reel is automatically covered with a thin, self-adhesive plastic wrap at the same location. Wrap film on the roll with variable width and thickness approximately 25 micrometers is used. Only then, the finished reel is removed from the winding position and the next empty reel can be moved to the winding position. The main disadvantage of such apparatus is that wrapping the reel can take almost as much time (e.g., 15 seconds) as winding the reel (e.g., 20 seconds for a reel with 100 m of cable on it) and thus, the efficiency and the productivity of the device is low, particularly for smaller reels.

One way to improve the productivity is to use more than one winding head, i.e., winding the cable onto the drums is carried on in more than one separate location intermittently (in fact, the above patent describes an apparatus with two spooling heads). In such apparatus, while one reel is being wound, the full spool is automatically wrapped with plastic film to secure the cable end and to make the spool ready for delivery. The obvious disadvantage of dual spooling head apparatus over single head apparatus is increased complexity and cost.

On the other hand, other methods for packing are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,463 is described a pass through apparatus and process for wrapping a web of stretched material around a conveyor transported load. The pass through apparatus has a film supply assembly on opposite sides of the load, each of the assemblies comprising a film dispenser and a powered roller mechanism which takes film from the film dispenser and pre-stretches it in the powered roller mechanism prior to the application of the film around the load. Once the load passes a sensing station, it is stopped and the clamping jaws draw the tensioned film around the load and clamp together.

Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,457 is described a machine for wrapping cylindrical articles in a thermally weldable web. The system automatically guides the free end of a new web downwardly by a deflector connected to the upper jaw member of a double-welding system in which pairs of electrodes are energized to form two seams.

The object of the invention is therefore to improve an apparatus of above type so that the disadvantages of known cable winding apparatus are avoided and in particular, a novel, quicker way of switching over from a finished product to a new product. Another object of the invention is a novel method for packing spooled or coiled product into a plastic film that can be used in the cable winding apparatus (including fully automatic and semi-automatic cable winding machines).

Advantages of the invention are that the end of the cable of the finished product is fastened quickly and the finished product can be quickly removed from the winding position, making room for the new product. Another advantage is that the packaging method provides a package that will not need further treatment. For example, trademarks and other information pertinent to the product may be preprinted on the film.

Additional advantage for a coiled product is that the package also functions as a dispenser. The film allows access to the inner end of the coil. This end and desired amount of cable can be pulled out of the package from the middle opening of the coil and film. The film and the remaining coil will remain intact until the last of the product is dispensed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention achieves this object for a cable winding machine by providing a band of film, such as polyethylene film, and pushing it against the finished product, applying pressure to the film and stretching the film, then holding the film under pressure and sealing the band around the finished cable product to hold the band and the cable in place.

The object is further achieved by vertically applying a sleeved band of polyethylene film to a coiled product. In this case, the film will serve as a package and as as a dispenser. The band will allow access to the inner end of the coil. This end and desired amount of product can be pulled out of the package from the middle opening of the coil and film. The film and the remaining coil will remain intact until the last of the product is dispensed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a cable winding apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1B is an extended view D of hard to see elements in FIG. 1A.

FIGS. 2 to 7 show the steps of securing the end of the cable, cutting the cable and packing the finished product by surrounding the product with a stretched plastic film and welding the film, using a pair of sealing bars.

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict two examples of sealing bars that can be used to practice the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention is now illustrated by reference to the enclosed drawings. FIG. 1A shows a cable winding apparatus 1, having a frame 2, a conveyor 3 for delivering empty reels 4 into a winding position 5. The winding position comprises several elements, such as a feeding arm for lifting the reel into the right position, an outer pintle for fixing the reel into its winding position, means for fastening the cable to the core of the reel (as described, e.g., EP 0754160), cable supplying and measuring means, and cable laying element 6 which is preferably integrated with a cable cutter 7 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The apparatus further comprises a conveyor 8, a pair of rotatable shafts 9 and 10 adapted to receive and hold plastic film supply rolls 11 and 12, and the band of film 13, stretched between rotatable shafts 9 and 10. The apparatus also comprises sealing bars 14 and 15 (see FIGS. 5 to 7), comprising heating elements 16 and 17 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B) and a cutter (see 18 on FIGS. 8A and 19 on FIG. 8B).

The apparatus is operated as follows. After the predetermined amount of cable 20 is wound on the reel (FIG. 2), the finished reel 21 is moved away from the winding position with conveyor 8 towards the band of film 13, stretched between the shafts 9 and 10. The finished reel is pushed against the band of film so that the cable is secured (FIG. 3). Then the cable is cut with the cutter 7 (for example, hydraulic cutter may be used), leaving a cable tail 22 with a predetermined length.

Now, an empty reel 4 can be moved into winding position 5 and the winding process can start again. At the same time, the finished reel 21 is moved further against the band of film 13 (FIG. 4), passing the shafts 9 and 10 (FIG. 5). Now, the band covers the reel in the extent of ⅛ to ½ of the full circle. Now, sealing bars 14 and 15 are activated and moved towards each other to push the band of film 13 so that the band of film 13 fully surrounds the reel 21 (FIGS. 5 and 6). Then, the heating elements 16 or 17 (see FIG. 8A or 8B, respectively) are activated within the sealing bars 14 and 15 to weld the band of film with two substantially parallel welds. Then, the band of film is cut between the two welds, using a cutter (see 18 in FIG. 8A or 19 in FIG. 8B).

Note that if the sealing bars as shown in FIG. 8A are used, both welding and cutting are performed simultaneously.

Alternatively, instead of first moving the finished reel out of the winding position, the film bend is moved towards the finished reel so the reel and the film bend come into contact prior to reel moving. The reel is then moved forward against the band of film, passing the shafts 9 and 10 as described above.

Using the tension of the film on the reel allows the reel to transfer without loss of integrity and creates this unique package. The film now enclosed in the band of film can additionally be transferred through a shrink tunnel (oven) for the purpose of shrinking the film and creating an even tighter package.

Apparatus according to the invention can be used for winding cables with diameters up to 20 mm and more. The reel diameter can be up to 1200 mm. The film could be a shrink poly or shrink polyetilene with suitable thickness (in one embodiment, the thickness is typically between 1 and 2 mm).

It is apparent, that when coiled products are desired, no reels are fed into the winding position. A modified winding head is used to coil the cable. The finished coiled product is then handled as described above. For the coiled product, the package also functions as a dispenser. The film allows access to the inner end of the coil. This end and desired amount of cable can be pulled out of the package from the middle opening of the coil and film. The film and the remaining coil will remain intact until the last of the product is dispensed.

It is apparent, that although in this embodiment, the cable is fed horizontally and the reel is rotated around a vertical axle, the cable can also be fed vertically and the reel rotated around a horizontal axle. The latter is commonly used in dual head winding devices.

The exemplary embodiments presented herein illustrate the principles of the invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed; it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

1: Method for securing an end of a finished cable product and for packaging the same, in a cable winding apparatus, the method comprising: moving a band of film, stretched between two rotatable shafts, and the finished cable product relatively towards each other, so that the band of film comes into contact with the finished cable product and holds the cable in place; cutting the cable, leaving a cable tail with a predetermined length; further relatively moving the band of film and the finished cable product so that the finished cable product further advances at least partially into between the rotatable shafts until the band of film covers the finished cable product in a predetermined extent; surrounding the finished cable product with the band of film by moving two oppositely located sealing bars relatively towards each other and pushing the band of film until the ends of the band of film meet; connecting the two ends with two welds; and cutting the film between the two welds. 2-11. (canceled)
 12. Apparatus for winding a cable product, comprising: a winding head for winding the cable product in a winding position; means for supplying and laying the cable to the winding position; a cable cutter; a conveyor for removing the finished cable product from the winding position; and a packaging unit for fastening the end of the cable and packaging the finished product, characterized in that the packaging unit comprises a pair of rotatable shafts, adapted to receive and hold rolls of a plastic film and a plastic band of film extending from one roll to another; a pair of sealing bars, located on each side of the rolls, comprising two welding elements for making two substantially parallel welds to connect the ends of the band of film surrounding the finished product, and a cutting element between the welding elements for cutting the film between the two welds.
 13. (canceled)
 14. Method for a quick switchover from a finished cable product to a new cable product in a cable winding apparatus, the apparatus comprising a winding position and means for removing the finished cable product from the winding position, means for laying the cable to the winding position, the method comprising: moving the finished cable product from the winding position toward a plastic band of film stretched between a pair of rotatable shafts until the finished cable product is pushed into plastic band of film and the cable is secured; cutting the cable, leaving a cable tail with a predetermined length; and moving the finished product further away from the winding position for an additional handling while starting handling the new cable product in the winding position. 15-17. (canceled)
 18. The method as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined extent is approximately ⅛ to approximately ½ of the full circle.
 19. The method as in claim 1, wherein both the sealing bars move towards each other.
 20. The method as in claim 1, wherein one of the sealing bars is moving while another stays in place.
 21. The method as in claim 1, wherein moving the rotatable shafts with the stretched band of film towards the finished cable product while keeping the finished cable product in place.
 22. The method as in claim 1, comprising keeping the rotatable shafts with the stretched band of film in place while moving the finished cable product towards the rolls.
 23. The method as in claim 1, comprising moving both the finished cable product and the rotatable shafts towards each other.
 24. The method as in claim 1, comprising cutting the cable so that the length of the cable tail is less than ½ of the diameter of the top layer of the finished cable product.
 25. The method as in claim 1, wherein the direction of winding the cable on the finished cable product is selected so that the cable winds tighter when pushed against the stretched while the finished cable product is still rotating before coming to full stop.
 26. The method as in claim 1, wherein the finished cable product is a spooled cable product or a coiled cable product.
 27. The apparatus as in claim 12, comprising a conveyor for delivering an empty reel into the winding position, means for clamping and rotating the reel in the winding position, so that the cable can be spooled on the reel.
 28. The method as in claim 14, comprising surrounding the finished cable product with the film by moving two oppositely located sealing bars relatively towards each other and pushing the band of film until the ends of the band of film meet; fastening the ends with two welds; and cutting the film between the two welds.
 29. The method as in claim 14, wherein the finished cable product is a coiled product or a spooled product. 